Process of making dividing bars



ocps; 1940. S.C.AWBREY 2,216,898

' PROCESS OF MAKING DIVIDING BARS Filed July 11, 1938 7 I :5 lprglgozzz $92 gym A/ MW 9 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 8, 1940 PnooEs s or MAKING nrvm'nvo BARS LSamuelgC. Awbrey, Kansas City, Mo. Application July 11, 1938,.ScrialNo. 218,622

Claims. (o1. 29+148) This invention relates to dividing bars'and the method of making the same and has particular reference to dividing bars adapted for use in dividing unit panels or design areas of concrete, terrazzo and similar floors. I V i The conventional dividing barnow in general use-ismade up of a base strip and a top bar secured together at spaced apart intervals by swaging-riveting, etc. This typeof spacing bar is objectionable in that when the bar is severed intermediate the securing points, the Strip and bar will spread apart to cause considerableexpense and labor in obtaining a smooth floor.

The principal object of the present invention is the-production of adividing bar that will overcome the above diificulties bysecuring the base strip and top bar together throughout their entire length. i

A further object ofthis invention is the provision of a dividingbar that is simple and economical in construction, one that can be readily installed, and will insure the fixedrelation of the component parts at all times.

Anotherobject of the present invention is the provision of a novel process for the construction of the present dividing bar. Other-objectswill appear during the course of the. specification, wherein reference is had to the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a dividing bar embodying this invention. r

Fig. 2 isa cross sectional View taken on line II-1I of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the dividing bar with the component parts assembled and ready for sweating. l a

.Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic showing of a machine suitable for carrying out the method of making said dividing bar.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line VIVI of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of the dividing bar wherein the base strip isoffset to form a shoulder for the reception of a linoleum. a

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view showing a modified form of the base strip.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the dividing bar shown in Fig. 8; and,

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view of a dividing strip having an angled base strip.

its opposite straight edges l6 and 18 in parallel relation and its center portion is provided with the holes, serves to securely ,anchorthe strip cementitious body of the floor. The'top bar 24is relatively thicker than the basestrip and is provided along one of its longitudinal edges with a groove 26 of slightly greater Widththan the thickness of strip l4 for reasons hereinafter set forth. l Themarginal edge of strip I4 is adaptedlto be fitted into groove 26 andto be secured at all pointsthroughout its length to bar 24 by means of a solder 60. When so interconnected, it is very apparent=that regardless of where the dividing bar is secured, the top bar and base strip will always be joined together at the exposed ends to prevent spreading.

Other. forms of the basestrip are illustrated in Figs. 7, 8,9 and 10. In Fig. 7 the base strip 30 is oifset adjacenttop bar 24 to form a ledge 32 to receive, and support a fioor covering, suchas linoleum so that the top surface of the floor covering (not shown) will be flushwith the top- PATENT surface of the top bar 24. For securing the strip in the floor, structure, tongues 34 are formed outwardly from the body of the strip.

Themodified form illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 provides for a base strip having an outturned flange 42 at its lower edge, and a tongue 44 extending in planar relation with said flange andon the .opposite side of the body 46 of the strip. This type of dividing bar is self-supporting and nay be set in position so that the floor material canbepoured later.

,1 The base strip, 50 disclosed in Fig. 10 is provided with an out-turned flange 52 which serves as abase ,for the strip The attachment of the base strips to the top bar is the same in all instances.

The process of making the dividing bar will now be described by referring to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, which show the preferred embodiment of this invention.

Referring first to Figs. 3 and 4, the top bar is shown inverted with flux filled wire solder 60 placed in the bottom of groove 26, with the edge of the base strip inserted in groove 26 and resting on the solder wire 60. The solder wire extendsthe full length of the strip and top bar and is preferably an eutectic alloy of a much lower melting point thanthat of the parts being secured together. The assembled parts of the divid-ing bar are now inserted into the following described machine, shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Heating plate 62 and cooling plate 64 are mounted in planar relation on standards 66 and are provided at their upper surfaces with spaced apart bars 68, and 12 toform grooves 14 and 16 which are adapted to receive the top bars 24, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, with the base strips l4 extending thereabove. Spring actuated rollers 18 mounted on shaft 80, which in turn is carried by arm 82, are adapted to ride respectively on two of the strips I4. The arm 82 is pivotally mounted on the upper end of standard 84, which is rigidly secured to the bar 18, as shown, and is urged downwardly by a compression spring 86 mounted on rod 88 mounted in bar 10. One end of spring 86 rests against the top side of arm 82 and the other end rests against a nut 90, adjustably carried by rod 88. By adjusting the nut, any desired pressure may be obtained to press the base strip and top bar together when they are in the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Several of these spring actuated rollers are provided to exert a constant pressure between the parts of the dividing stripduring its entire period of travel through the machine.

The heating plate is provided with a series of gas burners 92, by means of which plate 62 is maintained at a temperature suflicient to melt the solder 60, but not high enough to melt the metal strip and bar.

When the strip I4, bar 24 and solder 60 are assembled as described above and shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the assembly is fed lengthwise into the grooves 14 and 15 at a uniform rate of speed. The solder will reach the melting point while the assembled bar is on the heating table and the springs 86 will cause the strip I4 to be forced to the bottom of groove 26, thus forcing the solder to fill the spaces between the strip and the side walls of the groove.

By properly proportioning the solder and the voids to be filled, the grooves can be accurately filled so as to produce a neat and strong structure.

As the bar moves onto the plate 64, it will gradually cool and the solder will set. It will be noted that both the sweating and setting operations are accomplished while the top bar and'base strip are being forced together by the action of springs 86, thereby insuring a very definitely uniform relation of the parts in the finished product.

Before the dividing bar is discharged from plate 64, the solder has thoroughly set and the lengths of dividing bars are ready for use. The construction of the machine for handling the modified form of the dividing bar would necessarily be changed totake care of the strip forms, however, this could easily be provided for by the ordinary mechanic. 7

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. The continuous process of making a dividing bar consisting in positioning a continuous wire of flux filled solder at the bottom of a groove, formed in a longitudinal top bar, placing the edge portion of a base strip in said groove to rest on said solder and applying a pressure to force said base strip against said solder, as said assembly is moved at a substantially uniform rate of speed, first through a heated zone to melt said solder, then through a cooling zone to solidify said solder.

2. The process of making a dividing bar consisting in longitudinally grooving a top bar, placing a flux filled solder wire in the bottom of said groove throughout its entire length, inserting the marginal edge of a base strip in said groove to rest on said solder wire, applying pressure to force said top bar and base strip toward each other as said assembly is moved lengthwise into and out of a heating zone to first melt and then solidify said solder.

3. The process of making a dividing bar consisting in longitudinally grooving a top bar, placing a flux filled solder wire in the bottom of said groove throughout its entire length, inserting the marginal edge of a base strip in said groove to rest on said solder wire, applying pressure to force said top bar and base strip toward each other, as said assembly is moved through a heating zone to melt said solder and then through a cooling zone to cause said solder to solidify.

4. The process of making a dividing bar consisting in longitudinally grooving a top bar, placing a solder wire in the bottom of said groove throughout its length, inserting the marginal edge of a base strip in said groove to rest on said solder wire; moving said bar assembly at a substantially uniform rate of speed over a heating plate to melt said solder wire, then over a cooling plate to solidify said solder, and applying pressure to force said top bar and base strip toward each other during their travel over said heating and cooling plates.

5. The process of making a dividing bar consisting in longitudinally grooving a top bar, placing a solder wire in the bottom of said groove throughout its length, inserting the marginal edge of a base strip in said groove to rest on said solder wire; moving said bar assembly at a substantially uniform rate of speed through a hea ing zone to melt said solder wire, then through a cooling zone to solidify said solder; and applying a pressure tending to force said base strip further into said top bar during their travel through said heating and cooling zones.

SAMUEL C. AWBREY. 

